LEARN KITESURFING

The aim of this article is to provide a view on this sport to those who are curious about trying it, thus enjoying an exciting physical activity that will keep you fit and as you can imagine it’s a great way to switch off from our daily routines.

Kitesurfing or “surf with a kite” is a dragging sport like water skiing or wakeboarding and others. The difference is mainly in the use of the force of the wind which provides kinetic energy necessary for movement, the same as sailing and windsurfing.

Kitesurfing has become a popular sport which in turn has brought about its development in the materials used, the construction of kites and boards which are increasingly more modern and adopt lighter and more resistant materials.

If you wish to make kitesurfing part of your life style you need to take into account a series of things which will help in not to coming up against any obstacles in this new sport.

The first thing you need is to find a kitesurfing expert who can orientate you in the teaching-learning process. It’s advisable to go to a school specialising in teaching this sport as a school will have instructors with the appropriate qualifications necessary to guarantee that they have the right knowledge to teach the contents of the course with the highest level of safety possible, they will also have mandatory insurance and the necessary equipment.

Progress in the teaching of kitesurfing should be as follows:

1 – First you have to teach theory regarding wind dynamics, safety at the beach and equipment know-how. Once this information has been learnt you can proceed to learning how to set-up the equipment;

2 – Practice will start with the student sitting on the sand handling the kite. This will have inferior size and shorter lines than the one used by experienced kite surfers in this type of wind so that the kite has less power thus avoiding any risks;

3 – Once the student can correctly handle the kite, the instructor will put longer lines and a kite size based on the wind at that time so that the student will have the same sensation as when they are navigating. When the student can handle the kite correctly they will be able to start learning in the water;

4 – In the water they will start “bodydrag” exercises with the kite only – the instructor may enter the water with the student in order to teach them how to manage this and how to move in both directions and perpendicular to the wind;

5 – Once you can do all of the above activities with success, you will have reached the time to start with the board. Here we explain the theory of the “water start” which provides the movements necessary to start navigating. This process may require more practice;

6 – Once the student has achieved the “water start” correctly and can maintain balance for a distance that will be the time to learn to luff which is a basic manoeuvre to gain metres in order to direct ourselves towards the direction of the wind.

If we manage to master these techniques we can consider ourselves new Kite surfers.